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Falafels (oven cooked)
Super-tasty falafels with a good depth of flavour. Use dried chickpeas for the best texture.
- Prep 1 hr
- Cook 24 mins
- Total 1 hr 24 mins
- Serves 4
- Calories per serving 350 kcal
Method
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Soak dried chickpeas overnightCover dried chickpeas with plenty of cold water (they'll more than double in size). Leave to soak for 12–24 hours. Don't cook them! After draining, dry thoroughly on a tea towel.
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CookBoil chick peas for 10 minutes. Many recipes avoid this but it avoids the falafels being too dry. Meanwhile saute the onion, leek, celery, chilli and garlic, then stir in the herbs and spices, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
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BlendPut the half the chickpeas and half the vegetable mix into a food processor and pulse blend until it look like coarse coucous, and holds together when squeezed (take care not to blend to a paste). Repeat with the other half of the mixture.
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ChillTransfer to a bowl, cover and chill in the fridge for an hour so the mixture firms up.
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Preheat the ovenHeat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, GM7). Brush a large baking tray with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and put it in the oven to get hot.
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Shape the falafelsStir the baking powder and half the flour into the mixture. If it feels too wet to hold its shape, add the rest of the flour. Shape into about 20 small balls, or patties roughly 2 cm thick.
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BakeCarefully place the falafels on the hot tray. Brush the tops generously with the remaining olive oil. Bake for 13 minutes, then flip and bake for another 11 minutes.
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ServeLet the falafels rest on the tray for a few minutes to firm up, then serve 5 falafels per person. You could serve this with a tahini sauce (see tips), warm (gluten free) flatbreads, salad and pickled red onions.
Cook's tips
Plain flour can be substituted for chickpea flour, but then won't be gluten-free. Save the lemon juice for a sauce. Dry-toast cumin seeds and coriander seeds then grind instead of pre-ground spices for a more fragrant flavour. Serve with a tahini sauce made out of 4 tbsp tahini, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 clove garlic (crushed); whisked together, slowly, adding 4 tbsp cold water, until smooth. Allergen note: tahini contains sesame seeds.